WAYS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM ID THEFT & FRAUD

ID Theft Prevention is Important
Identity theft and fraud can affect anyone. Thieves may attempt to acquire personal and financial information through a variety of methods, including stealing mail, looking through trash, and pick-pocketing. Armed with this valuable information, the thieves can re-create a driver's license with the name and social security number of their victim but use the thieves' photos.  The thieves can then pose as the victim to lenders and corporations applying for loans, credit cards, leases, cell phones, utilities and countless other services.  The imposter can quickly accumulate large debt under the victim's name. Often, it's months before a victim realizes the theft.

Victims of identity theft are usually not responsible for the financial losses.  However, the responsibility of identifying and resolving the consequences of identity theft is left largely to the victims.  It is very important to act quickly to minimize the damage to credit and personal reputation.  While identity theft is a crime that can be prosecuted, the perpetrator is often difficult to find.  The havoc created for the identity theft victim cannot be cleaned up by law enforcement.  This is left for the victim to clean up and can take months to resolve. (click here to learn how to report and resolve ID theft or fraud incidents)

Recommended Online Security Steps for Customers
Passwords/Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) are an important authentification mechanism for online banking users. Citywide Banks strongly encourages customers to take steps to minimize unauthorized access to your online banking accounts. (click here for more ways to protect yourself from ID theft and fraud)

Citywide Banks strongly recommends all customers consider following the online security recommendations listed below:

- Memorize your PINs and do not write them down or share them with anyone

- Change your OnlineOption Internet Banking PIN and Cash Management User PIN periodically

- Create a 6-8 character PIN that includes both numbers and letters

- Use uppercase, lowercase and special characters to further personalize your PIN

- Avoid using repetitive characters (i.e. "aaa") or sequential numbers (i.e. "1234") within your PIN

- Do not use your Social Security number as a username or password/PIN

- Do not allow Windows to remember your password (this is an optional feature of the popular operating system)

- Immediately change business account PINs when key personnel in your organization change positions or leave the organization

 

Other Ways to Safeguard Your Financial & Personal Identification Information
Here are some additional ways to minimize the risk of becoming another victim of ID theft or fraud:

- Only give your personal information, especially your social security number, bank account number, and financial account passwords, to companies and individuals you know and trust. Take extra precaution to verify the identity of these companies.

- Review your bank statements, credit card bills, and other financial statements carefully to detect any unauthorized activities. Also, be aware of any statements you don't receive to ensure your account address has not been changed fraudulently.

- Order and review your own credit report at least once a year. Your credit report should list all bank and financial accounts in your name, and will identify if there are any unauthorized accounts opened in your name. The Fair Credit Reporting Act allows you to receive your credit report annually for free. (click here for contact info for the three consumer reporting agencies)

- Always tear or shred your charge receipts, copies of credit applications, insurance forms, physician statements, bank statements, expired charge cards that you're discarding, and credit offers you get in the mail.

- When using an ATM, take extra precaution to ensure nobody is observing your PIN input.

- Be suspicious of any request for personal information by phone, mail, or email. Take extra precaution to verify the identity of the company or individual. You always have the option to call back a company through a trusted phone number.

- Keep your personal information in a secure place at home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help, or are having work done in your house. Also, store any copies of administrative forms that have your sensitive personal information in a secure, nonpublic place.